


I'll Give You The Moon

by xiuminsglasses



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Confessions, M/M, Oblivious Baekhyun, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-04 00:00:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12758955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xiuminsglasses/pseuds/xiuminsglasses
Summary: Baekhyun takes care of Yixing after he gets a tonsillectomy, though things don't really go according to plan.





	I'll Give You The Moon

**Author's Note:**

> to the prompter: oh gosh I loved this prompt so much when I saw it and this is my first ficfest, so I truly hope you enjoy this.
> 
> to the mods: you are superheroes, thank you for the extension and making my first ficfest rad. 
> 
> to my key: thanks for reading through this and giving me feedback, I love you. 
> 
> and as always, to my soo: thanks for enabling me to do this. <3

Baekhyun couldn’t tell you the exact moment he fell for Yixing.

He supposes it could have been back when he first met the elder 3 years ago during his final year of undergrad, Yixing bringing Baekhyun food and water as Baekhyun finished his thesis. He supposes it could have been the moment he saw Yixing dance on stage for the first time, the lines of his body contorting in beautiful forms and silhouettes that left Baekhyun breathless. Or he supposes it could have been the moment that Yixing spent the night during a hot summer and climbed into bed with Baekhyun, clinging to him like it was a chilly night and not an overly humid evening.

He’s given up hope of anything happening though, too concerned that he’ll ruin a perfectly good friendship. He whines a bit at the thought of never finding someone else the way Yixing makes him feel. But Yixing is the Moon and Baekhyun is the Sun and they rule different skies. For now, Baekhyun is happy to call Yixing his best friend and partner in crime.

 

**WEDNESDAY**

Baekhyun stands outside Yixing’s door, two bags of soft foods he picked up at the store down the street. He picked up Yixing’s favorite ice cream and his own, plus some other interesting flavors they haven’t tried yet. He brought some popsicles too because he’s not actually sure if Yixing is allowed to have dairy quite yet but he figures Yixing is set for the next week or so when he can.

He lets himself into the apartment and sees Yixing lounging on his back on the sofa looking absolutely pathetic and he laughs at the frown Yixing gives him.

“You look absolutely miserable.”

Yixing scrunches his nose and looks at the ceiling, making Baekhyun chuckle more.

“I know you hate this but just be thankful it isn’t _me_ you’re taking care of,” Baekhyun starts sliding the different foods into their places in the kitchen, fumbling around the cabinets. “Can you imagine me trying to _not_ talk? I’d probably put up with the pain just so I can make noise.”

Baekhyun’s phone vibrates and he looks at the sofa to where Yixing is giving him a huge grin.

 _YIXING [16:55]  
_ _you’d figure out other ways to make noise, i’m sure._

“You’re hilarious, hyung.”

He sees Yixing type up something again as Baekhyun leaves the kitchen and resists the urge to sit on Yixing’s lap like he has in the past, instead settling beside his head on the sofa.

 _YIXING [16:57]  
_ _can we watch a movie?_

“Yeah, we can watch a movie.”

They settle on a comedy movie about two brothers as one tries to cope with his newfound blindness. Yixing hands Baekhyun the packet the doctor’s office gave him about his recovery and is all too eager to get a popsicle in his mouth when he sees it on the list of approved foods.

Baekhyun flips through the packet, noting that it could be anywhere within a week to a month for Yixing’s recovery. Knowing Yixing it’ll be quicker but he has to make sure Yixing doesn’t push it. He reads more about things to look out for, what’s normal, what’s not and cringes at the scabs that Yixing will get in his mouth.

He focuses back on the movie, putting the packet aside and unwrapping his popsicle.

He’s acutely aware of the heat coming off of Yixing as their thighs touch and he resists the urge to move closer. He looks at the other through the corner of his eye and tries to hold back his smile. Yixing has the popsicle sticking out of his mouth, red sugar liquid dripping down his lips like he’s a 5 year old on a hot summer’s day. He pulls the popsicle out from his lips with a pop, eyes zeroed in on the tv, and sticks his tongue out to lick up the trail of red going down his lips and chin. Baekhyun sucks in a breath and watches the movie again, trying to figure out where in the plot they are as the two brothers continue to fight.

Baekhyun finds himself missing most of the movie as he keeps watching Yixing react. The way his eyes light up at humor, the way his brows scrunch when there’s something dramatic. Towards the end of the movie, Baekhyun realizes this comedy isn’t ending without some form of tragedy and soon Baekhyun has Yixing in his lap, arms hugging one of his legs in comfort. He hears sniffles from his lap and Baekhyun combs Yixing’s hair with his fingers, soothing his friend until eventually he feels him relax as the movie comes to a close.

He slides Yixing off his lap carefully, easing him down on the sofa and grabbing a light blanket from the bedroom and settling it on Yixing’s form. Baekhyun crouches down and cups Yixing’s cheek with a hand, running his thumb across the leftover trail of tears. He moves his fingers down Yixing’s jaw and catches his bottom lip with his thumb and gently rubs against it before pulling back. He leaves a kiss on Yixing’s forehead, Yixing’s cool skin soothing the heat of Baekhyun’s lips.

He gives one last look before he cleans up the mess and leaves a note for Yixing.

 

**THURSDAY**

Baekhyun comes back the next day after his meeting with  his professor about his Master’s research and after a quick trip to the market with Jongdae.

Today he’s got some different drinks for Yixing, tired of his phone vibrating constantly with complaints of Yixing being sick of water. Jongdae had laughed at Baekhyun for his insistence to buy one of every flavor for Yixing, but Baekhyun wanted to make sure Yixing was taken care of.

They’ve settled on watching a tv series tonight, a fantasy of sorts Baekhyun _thinks_. He’s let Yixing pick tonight and Baekhyun isn’t very focused on the plot, fiddling with his phone and shaking his leg up and down until Yixing’s hand grips Baekhyun’s knee and squeezes, causing Baekhyun to stop.

“Sorry,” Baekhyun flashes his boxy smile.

“It’s okay,” Yixing chokes out and Baekhyun glares at him.

“Aiiii, you shouldn’t be speaking you weirdo. You’re already missing work for two weeks, don’t make it three.”

Yixing rolls his eyes and leaves his hand on Baekhyun’s knee, squeezing again before running his nails across the denim and tracing shapes with his fingers.

They stay there all night until Baekhyun wakes up at 3am to the tv replaying the menu of the tv show they watched. Yixing is clinging to his torso, his face using Baekhyun’s chest as a pillow and Baekhyun doesn’t have the heart to move. So instead he reaches carefully for the remote to turn off the television and snuggles back down into a slumber.

 

**FRIDAY**

Baekhyun can’t come see Yixing today. He’s just gotten out of his classes for the day and has a last minute tutoring session with an undergrad student who is struggling with reading key changes in their piano music. After that lets out, he might have time to stop back by his apartment but otherwise, he has to head straight to work at the bar.

 _BAEKHYUN [15:31]  
_ _hey, soo is coming by tonight instead of me to see you. I have work. :(_

 

 _YIXING [15:32]  
_ _ㅠ.ㅠ_

 

 _BAEKHYUN [15:32]  
_ _I KNOW I’m sorry. I’ll come by tomorrow for lunch tho?_

 

 _YIXING [15:33]  
_ _are you buying?_

Baekhyun rolls his eyes and sends off a simple _maybe_ before pocketing his phone and pushing into a practice room in the music center, prepping for his student.

His student isn’t struggling nearly as bad as they think. It’s a mental block, really. There’s something _there_ stopping his student from just playing, they’re overthinking every little thing. Baekhyun has the student play through the piece again and again, Baekhyun trying to get them comfortable to the change in their movements from one key to the other. He demonstrates how he moves his fingers into a more comfortable position for the new key and talks about how with time the brain will learn to identify those key changes, but for some people it takes muscle memory and tactile recognition.

“Just trust your gut,” he tells them. “You don’t need to able to read the music perfectly yet. Get used to the way the keys feel in each scale.” He runs fingers up a scale and then changes to another one. “Trust yourself that it feels right. Not everyone can read sheet music perfectly overnight, these things happen gradually.”

The student nods their head and thanks him, scheduling another tutoring session for next week in between two of Baekhyun’s classes. He sighs and continues to mess with the keys after the student leaves, a melody coming to his brain as he traces around the ivory, a simple happy string of notes. He ventures into the sharps, the key changing and the mood souring as he lets his brain wander. He thinks about Yixing finding someone to love in the future, leaving Baekhyun broken hearted and Yixing won’t even know about it because he won’t tell Yixing how he feels. His hands trail lower on the keys, the octave dropping dramatically until Baekhyun slams his hands on the keys and the piano lets out a terrible dissonant set of notes. He picks up and leaves for the bar.

Jongdae notes Baekhyun’s unusual silence at work and fills in the quiet for him. Baekhyun’s tips are lower than usual that night, not that he minds, but Jongdae gives him a look that makes Baekhyun ache.

“You don’t have to tell me what’s going on right now, but if I can offer some advice?” Jongdae pauses and stares at Baekhyun, his eyes searching for approval. Baekhyun nods. “Trust your gut? Whatever it is that’s got you feeling this way, whatever decision you’ve gotta make, trust your gut on it.”

Baekhyun’s smile is earnest but his laugh sardonic as he hears his own voice saying the same to the student earlier today. Jongdae pats him on the back and goes to mixing a drink for a customer who just walked up to the counter.

If only Baekhyun could trust his gut.

 

**SATURDAY**

Yixing is antsy as he and Baekhyun make their way to the market down the street from the apartment. It’s his first time outside since the surgery and Baekhyun understands how his friends feel now when they refer to himself as a puppy. Yixing is clinging to Baekhyun’s arm and bouncing up and down with each step, a smile on his face. Baekhyun can’t help but smile back as he feels Yixing’s hand slide down his arm and into his palm and start dragging him towards the market _faster_ than they’re already walking. They almost run into a nice older lady and Baekhyun apologizes profusely before telling Yixing to walk and calm down.

“This is already pushing it, Xing.” Yixing’s eyes narrow at Baekhyun and that’s the only response Baekhyun gets before he’s being pulled into the market.

Baekhyun buys Yixing lunch and more before he’s off to work for a ridiculously long shift.

Kyungsoo strolls into the bar that night, pulling up a seat in front of Baekhyun. People are starting to trickle out of the bar so Baekhyun takes the time to clean up the parts of the counter that Kyungsoo isn’t taking up. He sees Jongdae in the far corner talking to his boyfriend, smiling as the other fiddles with Jongdae’s necklace. They’re so happy and Baekhyun sees himself doing that with Yixing. He kind of already does now that he thinks about it.

“You should just tell him, you know?” Baekhyun jumps and looks over at Kyungsoo, startled from his thoughts. Kyungsoo’s eyes stare straight into Baekhyun’s soul.

“I don’t have anything to tell Jongdae,” Baekhyun resolutely turns his back to Kyungsoo, reorganizing the bottles of alcohol on the back wall.

“You know as well as I do that I’m not talking about Jongdae.” Baekhyun stops as he’s grabbing a nearly empty bottle of Jack Daniels and puts it back down.

“Am I that obvious?”

Kyungsoo lets out a genuine hearty laugh and Baekhyun can’t help but laugh too when he hears it and turns to face his friend.

“It’s not really that you’re obvious, we just know you well.”

“Wait, _we_ , how many of you —“

“We just get worried about you and we’re here for you.” Kyungsoo just smiles, his eyes bright with comfort and Baekhyun gives a huff in attempts to hold back his own smile.

“I really like him, Soo.”

“I know.”

“But how do I even tell him?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something, but trust me when I say I think you should do it.”

Baekhyun eyes Kyungsoo carefully, dissecting his features to see if he’s messing with him but comes up with the genuine and supportive friend he’s had since high school.

He nods, “yeah, I’m sure I will.”

 

**SUNDAY**

Today, Baekhyun doesn’t have to do anything. He’s caught up with his school work, he doesn’t have to go into work. So naturally, he’s at Yixing’s apartment again, cooking up rice for the both of them while Yixing figures out which movie they’re going to watch. They already watched an action flick earlier that made too many loud noises for the both of them, resulting in them turning the volume down and reading the subtitles for dialogue because they couldn’t hear what anyone was saying.

Baekhyun reaches in the cabinet for some bowls for their rice and he feels a warmth against his back, arms snaking around his waist. Yixing’s chin settles on his shoulder and Baekhyun tenses ever so briefly before relaxing back into Yixing’s embrace.

“Did you pick a movie?”

Yixing chokes out a _yes_ and Baekhyun sends a glare at Yixing and the hoarse sound of his voice. Yixing at least looks bashful this time at his slip.

They settle in their spots on the sofa, Baekhyun sitting cross legged as he scoops rice into his mouth, Yixing hitting play on the American romance movie that he picked. Yixing smiles real big at him before shoving a ball of rice into his mouth and turning to face the movie. His cheeks puff out as he chews as best he can and Baekhyun watches Yixing’s neck as he swallows and follows the movements of his throat, noting that swallowing is coming easier though Yixing still gives a small grimace of pain.

Baekhyun goes to the freezer to grab the ice cream for him and Yixing. He hears the dialogue of the woman speaking but can’t decipher what she says except the word “love.” He watches Yixing react and sees empathy scroll across Yixing’s face. Yixing looks _sad_ and Baekhyun can’t have that.

If Baekhyun is the day time, then Yixing is the night, the two forever running in circles but never meant to be together. They complement each other so perfectly but never able to _connect._ If Baekhyun is the Sun, then Yixing is the beautiful full moon in the sky that at least deserves to know it is loved.

Baekhyun drops the spoons and ice cream onto the tile with a loud _clang_ causing Yixing to turn towards him.

He has to tell Yixing. Just as he hears the man in the movie spill his guts to the woman with an _I Love You_ , the words come tumbling out of Baekhyun’s mouth.

“I’m in love with you.”

Yixing’s eyes tick his direction, his eyebrows raised a tad as he moves his face up from looking at the ice cream on the tile. Baekhyun realizes he’s standing awkwardly in the threshold where the tile meets the carpet, his hands empty as a pint of ice cream is on the floor and two spoons are scattered on the tile. Baekhyun can tell Yixing is about to say something and he’s frantic towards the sofa.

“No no no, don’t talk. You’re not supposed to talk!” Baekhyun smiles and sits next to Yixing. “I just… don’t talk, okay? Just listen. Please.” He puts space between him and Yixing, resisting the urge to reach out for Yixing’s hands to ground himself. Instead, he runs his hands down his own thighs, squeezing the flesh a bit to remind himself this isn’t a dream.

Baekhyun stares at Yixing and the other’s eyes are filled with so much confusion. The sounds of the movie’s couple kissing echoes on the walls and Yixing drags his eyes away from Baekhyun’s to mute the television then brings them back to meet Baekhyun’s. He nods and sits forward, closer to Baekhyun.

Baekhyun clears his throat, and he can feel those butterflies everyone talks about trying to escape his body. He feels absolutely sick to his stomach.

“I love you. I have for who knows how long. Actually ignore that Kyungsoo will say it’s been years of me pining _apparently_ , but that’s besides the point. The point is I’ve loved you for awhile. You’re just,” Baekhyun gestures and stomps his feet a tad and lets out a whine, “you’re _you_ and you’re so weird and sweet and talented. And somewhere along the lines since I met you I fell in love with you.”

Baekhyun closes his eyes and pushes the heels of his palms into his eyes, rubbing just a little before opening his eyes again and staring at his feet.

Silence.

“You know what, I’m just, going to go, okay?”

Baekhyun pushes his way out the door without looking back though he hears Yixing attempt to say his name.

He supposes that could’ve gone better.

 

**ONE WEEK LATER**

Baekhyun would feel terrible about how he left things with Yixing, but he’s been slammed with school work and he had an influx of tutoring sessions from undergrad students. He hasn’t seen any of his friends in a week except those he works with, nor has he even read their texts. He drops his bag onto his bed and flops down next to it, pulling out his phone to catch up.

He sees he’s missed _200_ messages in his group chat and he thanks one of his students for reminding him to put it on do not disturb so his phone wasn’t blowing up. He doesn’t bother to back read, instead just sending a simple text letting them all know he’s alive and he takes the chat off _dnd._ It immediately vibrates.

 _CHANYEOL [20:43]  
_ _BAEKKKK._

 _CHANYEOL [20:43]  
_ _Missed you!_

 _KYUNGSOO [20:43]  
_ _about time._

 _CHANYEOL [20:44]  
_ _Can I come over to get help on this piece I’m working on?_

 _BAEKHYUN [20:45]  
_ _yeah sure!_  

 _CHANYEOL [20:45]  
_ _Sweet, I’ll be there in 15._

 _YIXING [20:46]  
_ _missed you, baek._

Baekhyun leaves his phone on the bed and walks to the bathroom, ignoring the impending sense of guilt that overtakes him.

He stumbles into the shower and lets the warm water drip down his skin and he stands there in the stream and doesn’t move. He braces against the tile wall until the water runs cold and he starts to shiver. It’s not the most satisfying shower he’s had but the effect he wanted is there. His brain has slowed and the tension in his shoulders has released.

He’s dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, his hair still damp when he hears a knock at the door.

“Ah, Chanyeol-ah, it’s unlocked!” Except the door never opens and instead he hears knocking _again_.

He stumbles to the door, muttering about how Chanyeol can’t listen and pulls the door open.

“I said —“

“It’s unlocked, I know.”

Baekhyun stares wide-eyed at the person who is very much not Chanyeol in his doorway.

“Xing?”

Yixing stands in front of him, bright and cheery. He’s in a red hoodie with a denim jacket over it, a black choker around his neck. His dimple is on display for the world to see as he smirks at Baekhyun and Baekhyun knows he must have fallen asleep in the shower or maybe on the sofa because Yixing looks like he’s been dressed by Baekhyun _for Baekhyun._ He notices Yixing has a bag in his hand and he squints to see the contents but then Yixing is shoving past him towards the kitchen, pulling cartons of ice cream out of the bag and pushing all but one carton into the freezer.

“What are you doing —“

“Nope nope. No talking. You got to talk a whole lot while I’ve been bound to silence.”

“But —“

Yixing covers Baekhyun’s mouth with his hand and just stares at Baekhyun with a small smile, “No talking. Got it?”

Baekhyun just nods. Yixing removes his hand and clears his throat with a grimace.

“I’m not one hundred percent yet but it doesn’t hurt really. The scabs are gone, and _that_ was the worst day so far,” Yixing pulls out two spoons from a drawer and cradles a single carton of ice cream in his arm, then drags Baekhyun to sit on the futon and hands him a spoon while opening the lid of the ice cream. He spoons a bit for himself and takes a bite, eyeing Baekhyun and looking down at the ice cream.

Baekhyun takes a bite for himself and to be honest he’s completely confused right now. Yixing doesn’t say anything, just continues to eat the ice cream and encouraging Baekhyun to do the same. Baekhyun takes a bite too big and some of the ice cream leaks out of his mouth and drips too far down his chin for his tongue to reach. He hears Yixing’s chuckle and then Yixing’s thumb brushes across his chin to scoop up the mess. He sucks his thumb into his mouth, his eyes bright with mirth as he does it. Baekhyun just stares until he notices Yixing getting closer and closer, placing the carton of ice cream and spoon on the coffee table.

Baekhyun manages to slip out _Xing_ before Yixing’s lips are on his in a soft kiss. Yixing pulls back and Baekhyun breaks out of his frozen state to drag Yixing back into another simple kiss before resting their foreheads together. Yixing pushes himself to straddle Baekhyun’s lap, the two invading each other’s spaces, searching their eyes for something, _everything_.

For once, Yixing feels warm and Baekhyun cold and Baekhyun sees a flash of fear in Yixing’s eyes and understands why Kyungsoo told him to trust him, why Jongdae said follow his gut. Because Yixing was feeling the exact same way the entire time and truthfully, that leaves Baekhyun breathless and amused. He smiles up at Yixing and sees the fear disappear and his eyes light up instead.

“I’m in love with you, too,” Yixing confesses.

Baekhyun smiles and gives another soft kiss to Yixing’s lips.

If Baekhyun is the Sun, then Yixing is the Moon and they’re destined to rule the skies together, to accompany the other and chase each other to their greatest potentials.

And to eat a lot of ice cream.


End file.
